The Real Star Crossed Lovers
by francos
Summary: The story of Marvel and Olive, the real star crossed lovers of the 74th Hunger Games  follows some of the storyline/film, but does differ in a few places


The room was filled with people, they told us each to choose a training section to start on, I chose knots – they were simple and I could do that easily. I was wrong, very wrong. Nothing I worked on was going well, I would be the easy target to the careers, there are four of them, and they are sticking together – helping each other out with something another struggles with, which frankly is barely anything. The boy from 1 glances at me a few times as I move from one set up to another. He is tall, and handsome. We were both currently on the knife throwing section, he managed to hit around the target every time looking far more superior to myself. Marvel – his name I soon found out – stood behind me, sliding his hand down my arm until finally meeting my hand; he held my hand in his and raised the knife. It pierced directly into the middle of the target.  
>"Whoa, thanks." I caught his eye and gave him a little smile.<br>"You shouldn't be conversing with the enemy," Glimmer appeared in front of us, an angry look in her eyes, she squinted them at Marvel as a warning.  
>"He was just helping me." I snarled.<br>"This isn't a place to make friends." The blonde looked toward Marvel. "You have to kill each other soon, there is no need to get – _attached_."  
>"He can make his own decisions." I spoke up in his defence, before I knew it her knife was against my throat.<br>"Glimmer! Get off." Marvel clenched his teeth together.  
>"Next time I'll press it harder," Glimmer threatened before stalking off toward Cato with heavy footsteps. Cato glared in our direction.<br>"Thanks." I breathed out nervously.  
>"No problem, just allow her to cool off." Marvel smiled at me and moved onto the next station. <p>

I looked over the edge of the rooftop at the sunset; it was so beautiful it almost took my breath away: clashes of reds, yellows and oranges painting the sky. It was hard to believe this was the same burning ball of fire that shines in my district. Home feels a million miles away now. I heard the door click behind me and a shadow came into view.  
>"Sorry - I didn't know anyone was up here…" The shadow spoke, this voice sounded familiar I recognised it within seconds, it was the boy who saved me, Marvel.<br>"It's okay. Sit, please." I smiled softly at him as he sat beside me. He looked nervous under my gaze. "Are you scared, for tomorrow?" I whispered, barely audibly.  
>"Yes," He paused. "But don't tell anybody." He smiled sheepishly, looking at his hands. "Are you?" he turned his face to mine; I could see a faint bruise on his cheek from what happened earlier.<br>"Yes, I don't want to die." I confessed, I didn't – I always wanted a simple life - a job, a husband and a couple of kids that is what would have made me happy.  
>"You could win." The brunette suggested. "You can still have that."<br>"I don't think I can kill somebody, Marvel." I gulped. "I can't destroy a family, _kill a child_, and live with myself."  
>"If you want to survive you <em>have<em> to."  
>"I wish I could; my life is over now, I'm sixteen and a dead person walking." Tears threatened to spill over my eyes as I felt an arm snake around my waist and Marvel pulled me into an embrace. He was the rival but in my heart he was the only person I could rely on in this moment; he protected me against Glimmer, the girl from his own district.<br>"Thank you - for everything." I fiddle with my nightdress as he listens.  
>"You were frightened; she shouldn't have attempted to attack you when it wasn't even your fault. Just because I'm a career it doesn't mean I don't have a heart." His hand stroked through my silky auburn hair.<br>"I'm still undecided about Cato - he could still be a robot." Marvel let out a little laugh at my comment.  
>"We have a big day tomorrow; we should probably get some sleep." He pressed a kiss to my temple and untangled himself from me. "Good luck Olive." a smile graced my lips and he left me alone on the roof. <em>Tomorrow is a big day.<em>

Sitting in my room with Doria and her idle chatter made my nerves flare. She was talking about some kind of hair dye that made the colour of your hair change when you walk - I didn't care, she knew this, she was simply trying to take my mind off the situation I was trapped in. _30 seconds;_ the robotic voice said over the speaker.  
>"Okay, it's time. Good Luck, and try not to die okay babe?" <em>20 seconds<em>; she fixed up my hair quickly before guiding me to the glass tube that would lead me to my death.  
><em>10 seconds<em>; I stepped into the tube as it locked behind me, I faced Doria for the final time she smiled softly at me as the clock counted down. I mouthed a 'goodbye' to my stylist.  
><em>9 seconds<em>  
>I glanced toward the cornucopia looking at the things that could be the difference between life and death.<br>_8 seconds_  
>I see a bow and arrow and see Katniss looking at it, apparently she was very skilled in the art of archery; I see Peeta shaking his head at her as if to say 'don't do it'. Would she risk the bloodbath for it? Would I?<br>7 seconds  
>The tributes are in a circle facing each other, I manage to catch sight of Marvel<br>_6 seconds_  
>He smiles at me. It's soft and it doesn't follow his eyes which look frightened, but it is still a smile.<br>_5 seconds_  
>I smile back, keeping my concentration on him.<br>_4 seconds_  
>"be brave" he mouths to me.<br>_3 seconds_  
>"be strong." he continues.<br>_2 seconds_  
>"Fight."<p>

The cannon to signal the beginning bursts, shocking me to life. I run toward the Cornucopia, picking up anything I could get. Clove, the girl from Marvel's district throws at knife toward me though it misses my body narrowly. Her eyes filled with venom. I run behind me and picking up her knife before attempting to lose myself in the forest.

I finally stopped for breath; I had been running for about ten minutes, nobody was following me, luckily. The box I had grabbed from the bloodbath was filled with useless things - a whistle, a piece of broken wire, three empty water bottles and a torch. A heavy sigh escaped my lips. _Just my luck_. The running had made me thirsty especially in the hot, humid woods. Boom. A cannon exploded. Boom, Boom, Boom. There were 11 in total, I wondered if Marvel had survived. Of course he did, I tell myself. He is career.

The night descended upon me quickly, I found a place to rest in the hills and covered myself in leaves to hide from anyone walking nearby. The darkness was temporarily lightened as the names of the fallen appeared in the sky. It started with district 3 signifying both 1 and 2 tributes were alive, and finished at 10, both 11 and 12 were alive too. The boy from my district had died, this disappointed me slightly, maybe we could have been allies, but Marvel was still alive! This made me feel a little better as I finally drifted to sleep.

The morning brought sunshine to the arena; I brushed off the leaves from my body. I went off in search of water, and hopefully food; there was a lake but it was beside the Cornucopia which I knew the careers would be guarding. It took me three hours to find water within that time one cannon boomed: another tribute had fallen. I dove into the heavenly water, the mud washing off my dirty skin. The bottles from my box became helpful as I filled them up. A voice whispering my name caught my attention.  
>"Olive? Olive?" I held my breath and tried to remain silent. That was until he came into view.<br>"Marvel?" I pulled myself out of the water. This was extremely stupid on my behalf; though I told myself I could trust him – that he is someone to rely on.  
>"Olive!" he exclaimed and wrapped him arms around my wet body.<br>"What are you doing?" I spoke quietly in case another tribute was around.  
>"I'm on patrol – find and eliminate the weak," Marvel realised the worry – and fear in my eyes "the others - they aren't with me. You are safe."<br>"The cannon-" I begun.  
>"Yes it was me, I found Hanna-Lea, y'know the girl from 9." I nodded my head in acceptance. "I needed to find you, check you were okay, I saw Clove throw that knife at you, and I thought you might have been hurt." He looked over my body to check for injury.<br>"No, I'm fine, she missed." I smirked slightly.  
>"I managed to bring you this without the others noticing," he passed me a bag, inside was two knives, a couple of apples, a watch and some rope. "Be careful okay?"<br>"Thank you." I whispered. "You be careful too." he smiled, a genuine smile.  
>"See you soon." With that he disappeared back into the trees.<p>

After what I'd guessed to be an hour I heard another cannon which took the death toll to 13 over half of us had been killed. I bit into one of the apples Marvel had given me; barely believing he had seeked me out to help me. My stomach gave another rumble as I finished the juicy green apple. Resting my body once again against a tree, I covered my body in the green foliage before looking up to the sky and seeing Hanna-Lea's innocent face. The girl murdered by the boy who helped me. The other face was Glimmer, the career from 1, Marvel's district. Before I felt asleep, I strapped the watch he had given me around my wrist, the ticking noise made my slumber come quicker.

I was woken by an explosion, I checked my watch quickly it was 12:00pm; there must have been something very interesting going on elsewhere if they didn't wake me; I must be a boring show, sleeping until noon. A cannon shot knocked me out of my thoughts. Another boom came an hour later. Two had died and it wasn't even 3pm, I wished on everything I could that it wasn't Marvel. The night read the names of Jason from 5 and the cute young girl, who I think was called Rue from 11. _Marvel is okay._

It was now day three and 15 tributes had fallen. A silver parachute dropped from the sky and drifted to the floor beside me. I opened it up it was a small, dead type of rodent, a small message inside. _'Stay away from Marvel - Sawler'_ I gulped, what was the supposed to mean! My mentor confused me, but he was seeing more than I was, maybe I should stay away. Sawler knows what to do, he won this once. Today I decided I was going to move, either kill or be killed. Suck it up Olive! My feet took me deeper into the forest until I found a body lying on the ground covered in leaves. It was the ginger girl from 5, the girl I had overhead Katniss calling 'Foxface' in training. I felt a knife cut through my leg as she rose from her position. I moved quickly, stabbing my knife into her chest. Her breathing slowed until finally it stopped. A cannon blew, signifying her death. I gathered up her things attempting not to let the guilt wash over me, but I couldn't help the feeling in the pit of my stomach. Softly I brushed the dirt off her face, and slid my hand over her eyes to close them. I tidied up her hair while placing a nearby flower in it; and whispered a "sorry" before leaving her to be collected.

Voices infected my ears, I could see and hear Cato and Marvel in discussion as I hid behind a tree; my breathing slowing down as I attempted to calm myself down. I hadn't realised how close I had got to the main clearing, they were talking in a small break of trees just meters away from Clove  
>"I say we get the girl from 6 next, she'll be easy pickings." Cato spoke.<br>"No, we should get Katniss! She is the real competition; we leave the girl from 3 until the end." Marvel was trying to save me from Cato's grasp.  
>"Fine, we'll get Katniss, she did kill Glimmer… And she blew up our supplies. Stupid bitch." Cato kicked the dirt on the ground, making dust infect the air.<br>"Okay, good, tell Clove to get ready, we'll leave in an hour." Marvel demanded. The scary blonde walked away, leaving Marvel alone, I desperately wanted to call out his name, but Sawler told me not to! My heart and head conflicted. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair.  
>"Marvel!" I whispered - I did it! I called out his name, Sawler will be furious. He turned in my direction searching me out.<br>"Olive?" he moved closer to me and I pulled him into the hiding space. "You can't be here! If Cato sees you he will kill you! It's too dangerous, you have to go." He followed my trail of where I had been walking, seeing the blood dripping from my leg. He gasped slightly, and narrowed his eyebrows. "What happened?"  
>"The girl from 5, she cut me before - I - er – killed her." I felt tears forming in my eyes. Marvel pulled me into his body.<br>"You had to; you had no choice, its okay." He stroked my hair like he did the time we were on the roof.  
>"Come with me." I begged.<br>"What?"  
>"Come with me, leave them, we can do it - me and you, let's go now." he shook his head as he held me at arms length, looking into my green orbs.<br>"I can't. I have to stay with them."  
>"Why?"<br>"Because as long as I'm with them, I know what they are thinking, I can guide them away from you. You stay protected, but I do I need you to do something for me."  
>"What is it?"<br>"You need to go somewhere to hide, and you stay there until I come find you." Marvel took my hands in his and intertwines them  
>"No, I want to stay with you. I'll fight them. <em>I'll kill them<em>"  
>"Please do this. It's over by the place I found you before, there is an underground hide out, I have put a purple rock by the entrance."<br>"Come with me." I hold my hand tighter to his.  
>"I'm sorry, I'll come for you, soon, really soon. I have a plan." He makes a face that sends my heart fluttering. I break, and give into his request.<br>"Okay, I'll go, promise you will come to me."  
>"I promise, give me a day or two." I nodded as I turned to leave. "Wait, Olive." he grabbed onto my wrist and spin me around to place a kiss on my lips. It was hard though sweet, but it lasted for mere seconds. "I couldn't wait any longer." he smiled sheepishly and rested his forehead against mine.<br>"Now go darling, and be careful." His voice in a whisper.  
>"You too." We disappeared into different directions, I search the forest for were I was before, I found the purple rock just as the sun went down, I lifted up the lid of entrance and slipped in as another cannon blew. I could see the sky and everything around me yet from the outside you could see nothing. I wondered if there were camera's in here. Watching me as I pressed my finger to my lips remembering the kiss I had been given earlier; a little smile on my face. The faces in the sky belonged to 'Foxface' from 5: my first kill and the girl from 4. The death toll had risen to 17, there was 7 left, me, Marvel, Clove, Cato, Thresh, Peeta and Katniss.<br>"Tributes! We have an announcement!" Caesar Flickerman's voice filled the arena. "Two tributes now can be crowned victors," _Wait, me and Marvel could both get out of this?_ "If they are from the same district." My heart felt as if it had split into two, the small amount of hope they had given me was now gone, there were only two teams that were eligible for this left: Cato and Clove, and Peeta and Katniss.

A boom of a cannon woke me at dawn. I ate the last apple I had saved for breakfast. Today could be the day that Marvel comes to find me; but my mind started wondering to dark places. Now Clove and Cato can both win, they don't need Marvel anymore… What if they had killed him as he slept? What if he was the cannon?

"Olive!" He wrapped his arms around my body.

"You're alive." I quickly places kisses all over his face, before putting my lips onto his.

"I killed Clove, while she was sleeping. I was going to try and get them both, but Clove screamed and Cato woke up, I ran as fast as I possibly could." A relieved smile washed over his expression  
>"It's okay, at least Cato is alone now, he can't win against both of us." He nodded happily. "Are you hungry?" Out of my bag I got a few berries and two rats I had managed to catch and kill last night. He looked proud of me as we heated the meat, and ravished on it's bones.<br>"The girl from 5, is she the only one you-" Marvel paused mid sentence I already knew the rest of the question.  
>"Yes." my voice cracked as I remember what I had done. "How many have you…?"<br>"I fear you won't want me anymore if I tell you." He confessed.  
>"Nothing would make me stop wanting you - Marvel, you had to kill, it is what you are here for, what you were trained to do from a child. I understand." I did, he was brought up learning how to fight for his life so he can volunteer to enter the arena and make his district proud.<br>"Seven." It was higher than I'd expected, I only knew of two - Hanna-Lee and Clove. "You think I'm disgraceful right?"  
>"No! Not at all!" I paused. "Who were they?" He looked unsure about revealing them to me but finally gave in to the fight inside his head.<br>"The girl from 3, the boy from 4, the boy from 5, the boy from your district, Hanna-Lee, Clove and - and Rue." Rue? Marvel killed Rue! I couldn't help the look of shock on my face, little innocent 12 year old Rue. He ducked his head down to avoid me seeing his tears but it didn't work I could see the blue droplets falling from his eyes to the ground. "Katniss nearly got me after I killed her - they were allies, she missed me by a centimetre, I was running too fast for her to get me, I heard Katniss singing for her as she died in her arms. The song still rings in my ears when I sleep…"  
>"It's okay, I'm here." I pulled him in for a kiss, I savoured the taste of his lips; and moaned into the kiss. I pushed off his jacket as he laid me down, temporarily forgetting the cameras that surrounded us. He straddled himself on top of me kissing my neck. He removed my jacket and moved my hands over my head gripped together with his. I needed to be closer. Marvel placed sweet kisses on my jaw, then up to my lips. I stripped off his shirt and kissed the scars that were forming on his chest from the battles he faced in the arena.<br>"You're perfect." He whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I let out a little giggle as he took off my shirt and kissed my stomach. Realisation hit me. The whole of Panem could see us.  
>"Everybody will be watching."<br>"Then we should give them a good show." He smirked wickedly.  
>"We can't." I whispered.<br>"This will be our only chance - only one of us leaves this arena alive." I gulped, my heart ached knowing one of us would be dead soon. I was hoping it would be me. Our mouths captured each others once again. We removed each others clothes slowly savouring every touch we had left. We made love in front of the whole of Panem, I didn't care - I wasn't embarrassed because the moment of lying in Marvel's arms until morning was nothing but perfect.  
>"Morning." I smiled, kissing him on the lips.<br>"Good Morning." he tilted up my chin for another sweet peck.  
>"Olive, I have to tell you something-" As I listened to my sweet boys words my skin began to burn, feeling as if a fire had been lit inside of me, I turned my head toward the entrance only to see fire blocking the way out; I immediately jumped to my feet, pulling Marvel up too; my leg still aching from the cut I had received. I pushed the mud ceiling above me begging for there to be a way out: an escape; it finally gave way, as I managed to pull myself up to the surface. Marvel disappeared from my vision. <em>Where was he!<em> The clean air became the colour of black and then everything faded from my view.

I woke in a dark cave, with a fire burning inside. Thresh, the boy from 11 was washing my face with a wet towel, his blurry face became clear as I blinked. Panic was obviously clear on my face.  
>"I'm not going to kill you."<br>"You're not?" my voice sounded raspy and dry. He sat me up and poured water down my throat.  
>"No, as long as I have you the careers won't hurt me."<br>"What?"  
>"I saw you with the boy from 1, he loves you, and he won't hurt you. I guess it's you two that are the real star crossed lovers." he chuckled slightly.<br>"H- How long have I been out?"  
>"Two days." two days? Where was Marvel?<br>"Marvel..."  
>"He is still alive, I don't know where he is, and I didn't see him after the fire. The girl from two – Clove - she is dead, and the boy and girl on fire have burnt out, they must have been killed together, I saw them in a cave just south of here yesterday." That must mean Marvel – or Cato - are near.<br>"It's just me, you, Marvel and Cato left?" Thresh nodded. I bit my lip.  
>"Sleep now, you're tired, and tomorrow is the end…" His face was mischievous. "At least that's the plan." <em>Tomorrow is the end?<em>

I don't remember falling asleep but when I woke up I was lying beside Thresh. His eyes watching me.  
>"Come on, girl, it's time." He pointed to the exit of the cave.<br>"For what?"  
>"A tribute to become the victor."<br>We searched through the forest for an hour before we reached the Cornucopia – Marvel's eyes caught mine almost instantly. He got up to rush to me but as he did he saw Thresh who was holding a knife to my neck.  
>"Where's Cato?" Thresh shouted.<br>"I don't know! Please let her go!" He walked toward us; holding a spear in his hand; it was aimed toward us both.  
>"You kill me and you kill her too." he threatened, he pulled me even more in front of him, ducking his head behind my own...<br>"Okay." Marvel's voice was calm and gentle as placed his weapon onto the floor. "Kill me, and then let her go." Thresh hesitated clearly not expecting this reply. The dark skinned boy put his arm around my neck and moved the knife to his available hand.  
>"No, don't kill him! Please!" I fought with his grip but he was too strong. Thresh aimed the knife at the lovely brunette, throwing it into Marvel's neck, I struggled to get out of Thresh's hands; he allowed it and rushed back into the woods.<br>"Marvel!" the scream rippled from the back of my throat though it felt as if it wasn't my voice speaking. His blue eyes pierced into my own green orbs as he fell to the forest floor. My body took over my mind, grabbing him into my own arms.  
>"Go; Cato will be back soon, he'll get you." He mumbled out as the life drifted from him.<br>"I'm not leaving you - not now not ever, okay? It's been me and you from the beginning of this and it will be until the end." Marvel lifted his hand and brushed away the tear on my cheek, he followed it down to my neck and down my body until he reached himself on my lap. He pulled the bracelet from his wrist and wrapped it around my own. My hands ran through his hair.  
>"I love you, I did from the minute I saw you in training when you slipped and fell. Your face went bright red; it was cute. When we were on the roof together I wanted to tell you that it's okay to not want to kill anybody but I couldn't, because I thought maybe at the end it would be me and you; and I would want you to kill me. I want you to have your husband and children." he whispered softly. "I want you to have your happy ever after." The tears ran down my tanned cheeks blurring my vision of this evil forest and the beautiful broken boy that lay dying in it.<br>"You can't do this, you can't leave me. I need you, Marvel, please." I begged.  
>"Say you love me too, please." He was vulnerable, more than I had ever seen him before; he knows this is the end.<br>"I love you too, of course I do, _and you saved me _from more than death. We can get some medicine, I'll ask Sawler, it will be expensive, but he'll get you something and then you will be fine, and you can have your happy ever after too." I smoothed the back of my hand against his face.  
>"It's over for me. There can only be one victor now, Olive; it's going to be you."<br>"I don't think I can-"  
>"It's only you, Thresh and Cato left, you can do it. You're clever." I nod once before bringing our lips together into a kiss; he was weak; I could tell I didn't have long left.<br>"I love you, and you are the smartest, most beautiful man, with the best heart I have ever met."  
>"Be brave, be strong, fight." A watery smile appeared on his face, as I placed a final kiss on his lips before I felt his body become lifeless beneath me. My hands covered the gash where he had been hit hoping it would stop the blood and I would be graced with a miracle but it only stained my hands red. Our hands linked for the final time. <em>Boom.<em> I wish it was me, I should be dead. I would rather be dead; but now I need to win. _For him._

Cato found Thresh soon after Marvel died, he killed him in cold blood – a knife to the heart. Then he found me.

"Ahh, here she is, the girl Marvel loves. It's a shame things have to end this way," Blood from previous fights dripped down his face. "I liked him, y'know, but then he killed Clove, _for you, _to be with you. That's not what careers do."

"He's a better man than you. So why should he die and you be allowed to live?" I questioned.

"Because I'm a better fighter sweetheart." Cato moved in closer to me, and played with the ends of my hair.

"Don't touch me." I gritted my teeth, and pulled the knife from my back pocket.

"Can't we have a hug – or a kiss before you die? I miss the human contact." He cocked his eyebrow as he watched my expression.

"Pucker up." He moved in close to me, closing his eyes – stupid boy. I pulled him in and stabbed him in the back. Blood oozed from his back as he fell face first into the grass of the forest, his eyes rolled to the back of his head as the final cannon blew.

"_And the winner of the Seventy Fourth Hunger Games is Olive Greendale!" _

I got my husband, Gale Hawthorne – a friend of Katniss', we bonded over the grief of losing those we loved and we had three beautiful kids – my happy ever after, but I never forgot the boy in the arena that died in my arms, how could I ever forget the face of the person who saved my life.


End file.
